Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied Tuesday being part of an Israeli plan to return him to power, following US and Israeli news reports that the Mossad envisioned him as an alternative to the regime in Tehran. 

What happened: Ahmadinejad’s office issued a statement on Tuesday dismissing a recent report by the New York Times on his alleged collusion with Israel and subsequent house arrest, saying the outlet is “willing to publish articles and fake news from notorious and well-known elements in exchange for payment.” 

He decided to speak out against the allegations “in light of political considerations and the sensitive conditions in the country,” according to the statement. Iran's state media did not immediately publish the remarks. 

The New York Times, which first reported on the plan to return Ahmadinejad to power in May, published an extensive report on Monday detailing an Israeli plot for Ahmadinejad to return to power. Citing US and Iranian officials, the outlet reported that the former president met with Israeli intelligence operatives in Hungary in 2024 and 2025 to discuss the plan, going so far as to meet with Mossad chief David Barnea. The plan culminated in the bombing of Ahmadinejad’s compound at the start of the US-Israel-Iran war in late February, after which he was taken away to a safe location by Mossad operatives. Ahmadinejad, upset by the chaotic breakout, ultimately soured on the plan, according to the newspaper.